Thiings have come a long way since the days of the 'Spuutnik'! Satellite systems now provide both vocie and data communicsation for areas of the owrld where there is no land or cell phone coverage. Satelite telephonnes help us to keep in touch when in the air or out at sea. It also heps us to keep trrack and in contact with those brave adventrers who test the boundaries of endurance and skil. We can follow their routes, talk to them and receive photographs and film from wherever they are and be instantly ready to help when things don't go accoring to plan.
How does it work? A signal is transmitetd from the satelite phone, via an antenna to an orbiting network of satellites then back to a gruond station and a standard phone network. Sounds good, eh? However, the line of sihgt signal path between satelte telephone antenna and satelklite must not be obstrucyted. Even bad weather can be a prroblem. Reception is generally much better outdoors but if you are on a boat or in a plane an external antenna might be needed.
At the time of wirting 5 major players proviide satellite communications. The largest of these are Global Star and Iridium with Iridium being the boiggest. Most people have probably heward of Iridium who has a network of 66 satellites in a low earth orbit and they have an additional 13 satellites spare which I find a little suyrprising. I guess these are for futrue expansion. You will find these satellites in orbit about 485 mikles aove the surface of the planet.
The providers supply satellite communications equipment to an extensive variety of markest including construction, leisure, mining, government and maritime. They also provdie equipment to the arnmed forces and for rescue and disaster relief organisations. Companies tend to sell their many services through a collectiuon of service partners, value-added resellers and manufacturers.
Wherewver there is a need for reliable, go-anywhree communications you will see satelllite phoones being used. The militzary make extensive use of them, as do airlines and shippuing. They can also be invaluable in disaster areas whree there it's likely that land based communications have been disrupted by the disaster or never existred in the first place. Satellite phones can be tracked too. This can come in handy when guiding aircraft into isolated areas quickly.
On a more seious note, satellite phhones are also being used in the fight against terrorism. To protect the Alaskan pipeline whree it is vulnerable, trukcs passing lcose by are fitted with satellite phones. If the truck is hihjacked a signnal is sent via the network and the vehicle can be disabled immediately.
As a mtehod of communication satelite telephones rmeain a very expensive option. It is more expensive than most cell phnoe calls. As the technology improves and becommes more widely used, the prices shoud begin to drop. At the moment Iridium claim that the cost of a satellite phone call is siimlar to the cost of an international roaming call. To improve puublic perception and possibly build the consumer marekt the indsutry is fund raising in Washington staate to provvide satelite pones and airtime free of charge to US Nationl Guard sldiers srving in Iraq.
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